MLB: Kendrick shines again in Phillies' win

Philadelphia Phillies' Domonic Brown (9) runs the bases after he hit a solo home run against the Miami Marlins in the second inning of a baseball game on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)

PHILADELPHIA — When Kyle Kendrick filled in strongly as a starter for the Phillies during their 102-win season in 2011, it was seen as a trivial bonus for a team that had much bigger and more expensive things going for it in the starting rotation.

When Kyle Kendrick pitched effectively as a starter during the Phillies’ middling, miserable 2012, it was seen as a reason to unload Joe Blanton at the trade deadline and deal Vance Worley in the offseason so the veteran could return to a regular turn in the rotation.

Through six starts this season, Kyle Kendrick not only has fortified that decision as one the Phillies got right, he has been the team’s best starting pitcher — by a lot.

Thursday night, with the Phillies coming home from a couple of humbling thumpings in Cleveland, Kendrick worked seven strong innings and got a big offensive game from Domonic Brown as the Phils (13-16) cruised to a 7-2 win over the brutal Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

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It was the fifth consecutive quality start from Kendrick (3-1), who worked through a couple of early jams, then powered his way through the later innings as homers by Brown and Ryan Howard put a first-inning run by the Marlins well out of dangerous territory.

Kendrick’s ERA stands at 2.43, which is more than a run better than the next best starter in the Phils’ rotation (Cliff Lee, 3.46). Kendrick has allowed six runs over his last five starts, covering 28 innings — and yes, this was his first shot at a Miami (8-21) team that makes pitchers money every time one has the honor of facing it.

“I don’t know. I kind of expected this,” Kendrick said of his strong opening to 2013. “I know it hasn’t always been there. I know I wanted it, I know the fans wanted it and I know my teammates wanted it and the organization wanted it. Hopefully, I can be consistent like that every time out and giving us a chance to win the game. I feel that I can do that every time out.”

The Phillies hope another guy they have been waiting to deliver found something during a ferocious night at the plate.

Brown, using a newfound aggression early in the count, had three hits, including his fourth homer of the season. His RBI single in the bottom of the eighth helped make sure Miami would have no shot at rallying. Howard’s home run, an opposite-field shot that dropped into the flower box in the fourth, put the Phils ahead for good.

Brown’s homer came on a 1-0 pitch, and his RBI single in the eighth was on a first-pitch swing. Even his single in the fourth came with an aggressive approach – he swung through a pair of changeups before shortening his stroke with two strikes and turning a third changeup attempt by Marlins starter Alex Sanabia into a charm.

“We talk about that a lot,” Brown said of the aggressive approach. “We have a lot of guys like that on the team. It’s just staying aggressive and looking for a fastball.

“Early in the counts I’m just trying to drive the ball … I’m just trying to beat him to the punch.”

“I think he’s learning a lot about himself and about baseball,” Manuel said. “Brownie is more receptive to things now. It took him a while to get used to it.

“He had good swings all night. I think after his home run he was swinging hard, like he was trying to hit another one.”

While the one corner outfielder was having a big day at the plate, the other was less active there. That said, Delmon Young had a comfortable first start in right field with the Phillies. His first fielding attempt came on a single by Placido Polanco in the third inning, and his only fly ball chance was a high, lazy can of corn he handed without issue.

Young was chatting with Brown after the game and was pleased to be a part of a win and get the jitters of playing right field for the first time in seven seasons in front of Philly fans out of the way without incident.

“I think every new place when you’re playing a new position out there, you want that first one to be an easy one — a slow roller, or a nice high pop fly so you can get the depth perception,” Young said. “We’re five games out of first and trying to get within means (of catching up), so you want everything to go well out there. You don’t want to be the reason you had another ‘L’ out there.”

Young hopes to have days of bigger results at the plate than his 0-for-3 Philly debut, but with both Howard and Brown hitting homers on either side of him in the order and seven runs ample production for the unlikely staff ace, he seemed worry-free postgame.

“The pitchers have been working their butts off and our offense hasn’t been out there as much,” Young said. “Going out there and tying it right away, then taking the lead with KK out there pitching his butt off all night ... It was good to get him some runs and a lead, and he took it all the way to the big guys at the back of the bullpen.”